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Planned Upgrades/Refurbishment Of Turk'S Bits


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Hi Folks,

 

The 'Long Haired Colonel' (LHC), me and Duncan and Nina Jolly are off to Angouleme in September 2014 which will include a few days in the Loire and a week or so in the Dordogne so I have started to think about making general improvements with a view to using TuRK more for European touring holidays, now VUX has gone - this will come as shock to the LHC after the comfort of having travelled over 3,000 miles in VUX in two weeks last year on the trip to the South of France and then a 600 mile trip to Classic Le Mans a week later! :D

 

Upgrades/refurbishments planned in the New Year include refurbishment of the seat bases (but retaining and repair of the original vinyl), a rebuild of the steering box (hmmm R&P? :rolleyes: ), a new hood which seals the sidescreens and stops them flapping about as best as possible, work on the vent flap drainage as the chamber overflows into the car and general weather proofing ( :D ) e.g. all external seams resealed and maybe fit wheel arch liners if they are available for sidescreen cars?

 

I'm considering also replacing the tired old Smiths heater with an uprated version, so grateful for any recommendations on fitting and performance in use - any photos would be useful too.

 

The other option is to refurbish the Smiths unit, but given it has never worked at its best for many years (or maybe it is??) I have no idea of its output in good working order..........

 

Grateful for any feedback

 

Cheers

Andrew

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Hi Andrew

one suggestion I would make it to get John Sykes at TR Bitz to make up some new replacement foam seat bases, vinyl covered, that you actually sit in rather than on, that way you can keep the originals and swap over as required to suit. He has done many of these for exactly that reason over the years. They are really comfy compared to the standard sprung bases, well for me they were..........

 

Seat belts?

 

Heater, my old 3A heater worked brilliantly after a refurb, may as well have a go at a low cost solution before forking out on an upgrade....although it would have been handy to have a control inside the car rather than having to lift the bonnet and open/adjust the valve............

 

Hood, my main problem was stopping the water running up the screen at speed, forcing its way through the top rail seal and dripping down the inside onto the dash. I never did cure if effectively and resorted to strips of towel along the top of the dash, wrung our regularly. Mopping the inside whilst driving became a useful skill. However, I'm sure I can recall Stuart posting a diagram about the original design having a "flap" folded inside at the header rail that my hood never had - might be worth a call to the guru.....

 

Hope that helps

Ian

PS my wedge is watertight - (but I still miss the 3a).

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Andrew ~

 

To my knowledge wheel arch liners are not available for sidescreen cars. I made up rear wheel arch liners for my 3A

using trailer plastic mudguards.

Please PM me your email address and I will send you photo's of my set-up.

Fitting these does mean having to remove the rear wings.

 

Tom.

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Andrew, We have completed 5.5k miles in our 3 this year all on holiday and without complaint from the boss! So it can be done. The steering is original but in good condition with all the Revington upgrades, I personally would not go to a R&P setup. I also have Revington seats which work for me as a back sufferer I find them better than my BMW seats. The original heater has been fitted with a Clayron matrix and works well. The best £100 spent towards comfort is a Breeze breaker made by a register member, comfort at any speed with good side screens fitted,

 

David

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PS my wedge is watertight - (but I still miss the 3a).

 

Hi Ian,

 

I'm glad your 'wedge' is watertight; useful when swimming or bathing...............

 

Yes, seat belts are on the list too, particularly as my eldest now wants to drive TuRK.

 

You're probably right about trying to sort the Smiths heater first - where did you get your parts from if not Moss?

 

Thanks for the tip on seat bases, I'll look into that.

 

Ahhh, the hood, yes my hood also leaks like a sieve at the front seal hence the replacement, or maybe I can get it 'tailored' with a double-flap as it's rather nicely weathered and about 40 years old - Baldrick and I had to sit with towels on our laps on route to CLM in 2008 when the heavens opened - then, the sun came out and we had literally hundreds of dead and dying flies or parts thereof raining on us from under the front hood seal.

 

Edit:

 

Tom - PM sent, thanks.

 

Dave - I'm not a fan of R&P on a sidescreen as I like the 40/50s feel of the original steering box, but like all things, if the box is too cost prohibitive to refurbish then I may have to suck it up...........

 

Clayton matrix - where did you get your unit.

 

Cheers

Andrew

Edited by Andrew Smith
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Hi Andrew,

Hood .

Like your idea of retro fitting your existing hood with the "u" flap. Let me know if you need dimensions as mine is a Nos Stanpart item (well pleased with It)

 

Heater.

Go Direct to Claytons and I asked them to fit 90 bends in the exit tubes that exit to the side rather than the top. In preference fit silicone hoses here as they are likely to last longer. This makes life easier when you want to break, or fit hoses and clips. The Clayton matrix works well but make sure that the motor is rebuilt on even uprated to get more flow. The " Granny's breath flow could do with improvement.

When fitted (I sprayed mine black) is almost indistinguishable from the original when viewed from below.

Saying that I understand that the Revington box matrix does give much more room behind the dash but does not look right and I suppose is taste as I don't think there much difference heatwise.

Edited by Rodbr
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Andrew,

 

Don't forget the best safety addition for £50 quidish, fit an alloy rear firewall in the cockpit if not in place, can save you and yours life in the worst circumstances.

 

Mick Richards

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Go Direct to Claytons and I asked them to fit 90 bends in the exit tubes that exit to the side rather than the top. In preference fit silicone hoses here as they are likely to last longer. This makes life easier when you want to break, or fit hoses and clips. The Clayton matrix works well but make sure that the motor is rebuilt on even uprated to get more flow. The " Granny's breath flow could do with improvement.

When fitted (I sprayed mine black) is almost indistinguishable from the original when viewed from below.

Saying that I understand that the Revington box matrix does give much more room behind the dash but does not look right and I suppose is taste as I don't think there much difference heatwise.

 

 

+1

 

 

 

....although it would have been handy to have a control inside the car rather than having to lift the bonnet and open/adjust the valve............

+1. I should have done that with my car. A nice lever with 'hot' and 'cold' on the dash gives your passengers the impression you actually care about their well-being.

 

Overhere in Holland, the chairman of our local group has built quite a few 'breeze breakers' for s/screen owners. He uses a MX5 breaker and uses the hinges of the hood to connect them to. I have no pics, but it's a nice solution.

 

Menno

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Andrew, You don't want to get Turk stolen so I would suggest devices to prevent this. I installed a Tinley fuel line solenoid with a switch up under the dash to shut off the fuel line. It was written up in TR Action about 2 years ago. The unit is mounted to the central side of the inner sill - hidden up out of sight. I cut my original steel fuel pipe and spliced in the shut-off solenoid valve using fuel resistant rubber hoses and tiny clamps used for PI injector hoses.

 

I also put in a knob on the top of my battery which I can turn off to cut all power.

 

And I always carry a club that goes across the steering wheel and lock it - plus a long locking device that hooks under the clutch pedal up to the hook in the Club bar.

 

Make sure your handbrake can come all the way up to the 7th click. No-one knows how to release these "fly-off" handbrakes if it is up high and tight.

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Andrew

 

Clayton heaters / matrix can be obtained directly from them: -

 

http://claytonclassics.co.uk/

classic-cars@claytoncc.co.uk

sales@claytoncc.co.uk

024 7669 1916

 

Clayton Classics Cars

Fletchworth Gate

Burnsall Road

Coventry

CV5 6SP

 

Cheers

Ian

 

PS - Hoping/planning to go to Angouleme next year also!!!

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the improved heater sounds like a good idea (we don't get to use them much over here).

"Claytons" sounds funny for the name, used as a term for fake items here.

Can't understand why you use the 2 for trips. Thought you'd use the beemer, and leave the 2 for driving round the town on weekends.

Our travelling junk wouldn't fit in the boot. Do keep washing your singlet and derpas in the handbasin every night??

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Can't understand why you use the 2 for trips. Thought you'd use the beemer, and leave the 2 for driving round the town on weekends.

Our travelling junk wouldn't fit in the boot. Do keep washing your singlet and derpas in the handbasin every night??

 

Jim - are you still jet-lagged? :D:D Have a look at the front of TuRK................... :rolleyes:

 

We've used TuRK for three tips to Le Mans but never further afield in Europe, so Angouleme in September will be the furthest trip so far and others are planned including the South of France and/or Spain - whilst I have no concerns over TuRK's reliability (it's a 4 pot after all! :)) I just need to get it as watertight and as comfortable as possible otherwise my left ear will get an infection! :huh:

 

As for luggage space, I can get more kit and caboodle in TuRK than I could VUX, not that that helps me any as it's just more space for Bev to fill!

 

The trip planned for next year to the Italian Lakes via the Stelvio Pass, Tuscany and the South of France in VUX will now be in 2015 in the M3 Convertible, so at least Bev will have a high degree of comfort and even more luggage space. :wacko:

 

Cheers

Andrew

 

PS - the 'Condom' jam is now all gone......... :(

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It's worth having a pair of fire extinguishers to hand under the rear seat, plus another in the boot. (One extinguisher might not be enough, and you don't want to be left empty handed at a TR BBQ!)

 

Demontweaks.co.uk have a good selection.

 

Cheers, Deggers

Don't be tempted and buy the Halfords' types. These contain salt. I'm sure fellow member Tom (ex fire brigade) can chime in for some comments on what to use.

 

Menno

Edited by Menno van Rij 2
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This one is probably the best all round for capacity and size http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/fire-extinguishers-hand-held/lifeline-hand-held-fire-extinguisher-2-4-ltr and its foam so doesnt cause the same problems as dry powder.

Stuart.

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Ahhh, the hood, yes my hood also leaks like a sieve at the front seal hence the replacement, or maybe I can get it 'tailored' with a double-flap as it's rather nicely weathered and about 40 years old...................

 

Stuart,

 

Is this possible, and if so can your trimmer do it?

 

Cheers

Andrew

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Andrew et al.

 

You all surprise me about the leak above the windscreen. As you know it don´t rain that often here in Spain so I haven´t experienced the problem, that was until we went to Morges this year, when the heavens open up in France just after we left Spain. Up to that point we had driven 516 miles with no hood up, so we stopped and put it up but no sidescreens in at that time. Now we have that so called U section on our hood BUT we cant use it as the heat squashed places that are for the tenax fasteners dont line up, so I had to cut a hole through where there is still foam inside, it is too thick there to get it over the fasteners, so we drove with it dangling down inside the cab, with the one and only hole I had punched in clearly visible to both of us, BUT NO RAIN GOT IN. To cut the story short it was only after we got home in Spain that we took the hood off and had to sweep out the dead flies etc, caught in between the hood and the screen top rubber seal. I would like to know how do I get the places for the tenax fasteners squashed flat so that they will fit. Any Answers anybody?

I did get some rain in on our feet ,but that was from the vent flap which I had forgotten to fit the drain tube.

My problem is and was, that with the rain, and the car being highly polished for the trip, the beads of water on both the bonnet and boot were too much for the gutters to cope with when they were opened, so water got into the engine compartment and the boot. So to counteract that we now use the chamois to first take off those beads before we open them.

Now as for driving long distances in the 3A, no problem for us, the TR is a good and very reliable as we all no doubt agree. Our trip was 911 miles one way, driven in two days with no discomfort for our backs or bums on standard seats. This was the second time we did it and another time was to CLM with and equivalent distance, SO don´t worry about a 3A as opposed to VUX, it can take it and so can you. We are off to Stelvio in ours next June/July to the route that Bret gave details for about a year ago. Love to meet you both there , but I believe you have postponed that trip till 2015...... what a shame. BTW I met a guy with a long door TR2 at Morges and he said his trip to Stelvio was a trip to remember for all the good times it gave them with no mech. troubles or backache at all.

In case anyone is interested Morges in 2014 will be on 4th October and celebrates 110 years of the Rolls Royce.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Andrew,

 

Greetings from Soggy Sussex. I have just gone back to the original steering box from R&P, which was a bit lighter admittedly but added hugely to the Pea's turning circle and lacked feel. I had a box rebuilt by Liones Engineering - in Mitcham, South London, I think - for about £150. That was some time ago and could be double now, but still cheaper than a R&P kit!

 

I have had the same problems with the Memsahib giving me grief about being a bit (!) damp sometimes and I have much to do to improve matters. I blocked up the hole at the top rear of the front wings and made up drains from old metal wiper rack tubing (similar to the boot drains) which lead to hoses ahead of the foot boards. I made up front inner semi wings from rubber mat which is bolted to the splash guard location and curves forwards to above the wheels and is glued in place with underseal type mastic and a few self-tappers. They work. Does your scuttle air vent tray have the hose fitted to it? It should go through a hole in the transmission tunnel and down into the road - or dribble over the gearbox depending on its length.

 

My hood, an American Amco vinyl one which has the flap, is better than previous ones, but I still have to resort to strips of cloth between it and the top of the windscreen if the rain is really bad.

 

My big mod for this winter - sorry purists - is to remove the spare wheel pan, cut out the boot floor and build a rectangular metal box down to the chassis in place of both. That should give a lot more luggage rooom. As a back up I have a Boot Bag which is excellent when room is required for essentials such as wine.

 

Finally, I have a plastic box heater from Holden Vintage and Classic which has a two speed fan and works seriously well in conjunction with a TR4 heater valve and an old choke cable which ends out of sight under the dash so I can turn it off. If you can find a choke cable with a solid wire core rather than a multi strand one, you can push it open again too.

 

I did my first Spa this year which was fabulous and so am giving up on Le Mans which for me is too crowded and stupidly expensive, but Angouleme........ Sue and I stopped for lunch there on the way south this August and it is a very beatiful place - Bev will love it for sure.

 

Good luck with the mods - not easy to improve on the TuRK though!

 

Willie

 

Apple Green '59 TR3A - the Pea

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Dave,

 

I have no doubt that TuRK will make any journey asked of it, it just needs some creature comforts sorting as Bev (the Long Haired Colonel (LHC)) has been spoilt in recent years by tours in VUX. :rolleyes:

 

The LHC was comfortable enough in TuRK in 2010 going to CLM (in 40 DegC) with Duncan Jolly, Willie and other Camp Flowers and our tour of Moutiers-au-Perche in the lower region of Normandy following Classic Le Mans, but the comfort bar has been raised by VUX - I knew I made a rod for my own back when I bought it! :D I have a trip to Span on the agenda for future years, so our paths my yet cross for a beer, or maybe a sangria..........

 

Willie,

 

Greeting from a very soggy Surrey!

 

Thanks for the useful info - yes, I have the drain tube from the air vent and I've routed through the gearbox tunnel and under the car, but it must overflow or something as it pours in, particularly when parked up as the footwells fill up with water.

 

Agreed, they can keep Classic Le Mans - done four now and every year it gets busier and more expensive...........

 

Cheers

Andrew

Edited by Andrew Smith
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Interesting comments I thought I was the only one who was not impressed by CLM, despite all the hard work put in by the CLM team. Angouleme looks interesting and if I don't go to Spain on my T120 them we might try it in 2014. The air vent pipe was missing on my car and now fitted exits below the steering column into the engine bay, the short pipe connects from the battery box into the gear box tunnel. Other leaks were from around the wiper storks and window washer nozzles fixed by home made rubber gaskets. The hood doesn't leak and has a rubber tube that buts up to the inside of the window screen at the top,

Some things to look at David

Edited by Dave Satchwell
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